ANG II- and TxA2-induced mesenteric vasoconstriction in rats is mediated by separate cell signaling pathways

Rats were used in an experiment to identify the signal transduction pathways that are activated by angiotensin II (ANG II) and thromboxane A2 (TxA2) in the mesenteric circulation and to determine their impact for each agonist. Results showed that the major mediators of the vasoconstrictor effect of ANG II in mesenteric circulation are the increase in intracellular Ca2+ and the activation of protein kinase C. However, these mediators play a small role for the effects of TxA2.